It emerged in court that Stevenson has since been dismissed from his nursing position - an action which is to be challenged at a tribunal.

The defendant, a representative on Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, has also reportedly been suspended by the DUP pending the outcome of the case.

He claimed it was the woman who offered him a hug when he told her he was going to lay a wreath on a friend’s grave.

At no point did he grab or touch her breast, he insisted.

Questioned about his alleged comments, he told the court: “Anybody that knows me, anybody in the political sphere, knows that I have never cursed in my life, which might seem a bit incredible, and I certainly would not say anything like that.”

Stevenson rejected prosecution contentions that he “took a chance” by overstepping the boundaries and grabbing the woman’s breast.

“It’s not my nature, it’s not me,” he maintained.

But delivering judgment on Thursday, Mrs Henderson said the woman’s testimony was consistent with her complaint following the alleged incident.

The content of her Facebook message also supported her assertion of sexual touching, the judge held.

She said Stevenson had failed to provide an explanation for why the woman would fabricate the incident after they had previously been on good terms.

Accepting he had allegedly remarked that he would “grope anything”, Mrs Henderson confirmed: “He did the act deliberately and I convict.”

Stevenson will return to court in four weeks’ time to be sentenced.

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